IMEX America’s Smart Monday, powered by MPI, will once again be an outstanding day of top class educational sessions, certificate and certification programs, and superb networking events when it takes place at The Venetian®|The Palazzo® Congress Center on October 12th before the major three day show begins.
Each year IMEX works with strategic partner and premier education provider MPI and many additional association partners to create a rich program of education and professional development that brings knowledge, new skills, ideas, insights and best practices to the fore. Smart Monday also provides opportunities to gain clock hours for CMP/CEU certification and recertification with its classes, some of which are also ISES approved.
The extensive schedule for the day provides a vast range of options for attendees, giving them the opportunity to customize their learning experience to match their unique interests.
The events range from the MPI opening keynote with Lee Papa on “How to Live and Lead Mindfully” to the powerful PCMA Business School program. Throughout the day there will be educational sessions in various learning formats on a diverse range of key topics delivered by MPI, ISES, IAPCO, ICCA, ASAE, HSMAI, DMAI, SITE GBTA, GMIC and ECM. Additionally, the full-day IAEE CEM Floorplan Development Program, Site CIS Course, and MPI Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate are all certificated courses.
The CEIR Golf Classic will provide a competitive and social leisure activity while around 180 association executives will be attending the Association Focus event presented by ASAE and ICCA before moving on to Association Evening, sponsored by SLS Las Vegas, at the stunning Foxtail Nightclub. Meanwhile up to 1,000 buyers and suppliers will be heading for Site Nite North America at the new Omnia nightclub, Caesars Palace.
Deep dives, play or guided tours?
The day-long learning program is designed to meet a wide variety of interests and educational needs. Here is a glimpse of the sessions and activities planned from across the industry-delivered by a diverse set of associations and organizations:
MPI is bringing a Deep Dive called LinkedIn MBA (Meetings and Business Accelerator) School taking attendees through the details of leveraging the social media channel for better networking and business development.
The Play Room – sponsored by Play with a Purpose – is a new concept and feature. Designed to encourage creativity, it will run throughout the day offering short, upbeat ‘quirkshops’ giving hands-on experience with a variety of tools and techniques.
SITE is hosting a session – “Selling to the Incentives Market: Story Telling is a Sales Pro’s Most Powerful Tool” which will teach how to use stories as a universal tool across cultures and ages to develop relationships and do business.
IAPCO takes on the topic of digital learning with a session called “Meeting e-xpectations: Exploring the future of virtual education” focusing on the “disruptive” and opportune nature of new age learning meeting traditional learning.
DMAI talks about the changing nature of accommodating delegates, factoring in newer phenomena like Airbnb and online travel agencies alongside more established practices for room block contracts with DMOs, CVBs, convention centers and hotels in a session entitled “Beyond the Room Block: quantifying the total room demand for your event.”
A guide from the Sands Expo® and The Venetian®|The Palazzo® will host ‘behind the scenes’ tours of how these successful and sustainably-minded properties host some of the largest and most complex meetings, conventions and trade shows in the world.
Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group says of the knowledge-packed day: “The year-to-year expansion in interest for Smart Monday from education providers and attendees alike has been terrific to see. We’re so pleased PCMA Business School is back for a second time, and the first time Play Room should be a great addition. Every session and event has been carefully planned and is really focused on delivering solid content and value to people across all areas of the meetings industry. It’s a great start to the week.”
